Hebrews 6:1-12 is
one of the most misunderstood passages in the
Bible. Christian scholars misunderstand this
passage because they misapply it to spiritual
rebirth rather than maturity in the faith and
soul salvation. The passage has nothing to do
with salvation in the evangelical sense. It is
not addressing the loss of spirit salvation, but
the loss of soul salvation. Spirit salvation is
eternally secure and cannot be lost through the
actions of the believer. However, a Christian’s
life can become so rebellious that God will
cease working through him with no chance of
repentance. This situation occurs when a
Christian has repented, attained to a level of
spiritual maturity, and then falls away from the
faith. Many Christians
have been born again spiritually, begin serving
God, go to church, study the Bible to some
degree and then fall away from the faith without
ever having attained to spiritual maturity. This
passage is not addressing these Christians, as
the level of spiritual maturity attained to is
specified. The whole book
of Hebrews addresses the issue of soul salvation
for Christians and the receipt of the
inheritance to come in the millennial kingdom.
Please read my dissertation To Perish or
not to Perish for a detailed explanation
of the difference between spirit and soul
salvation. Spirit salvation pertains to
the issue of heaven or hell, while soul
salvation pertains to our inheritance in the
kingdom to come. Many Christians will forfeit
their inheritance in the kingdom, but they will
still be in heaven. We will now
begin our verse-by-verse exegesis of Hebrews
6:1-12, which explains the sin unto death
mentioned in the following verse: (1 John 5:16
KJV) If any man see his brother sin a
sin which is not unto death, he shall ask,
and he shall give him life for them that sin
not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I
do not say that he shall pray for it.It is important
to note that we are not to pray for a Christian
brother that has committed the sin unto death.
The following passage explains why we are not to
pray for this brother, as God will not permit
repentance in this case. NOTE: It is the
Christian Brother that commits the sin unto
death and not the unsaved reprobate. The death
is that of the soul at the Judgment Seat of
Christ and not the spirit. (Heb 6:1 KJV) Therefore leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let
us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and
of faith toward God, In Chapter 5
the writer of Hebrews has been addressing the
need for Christians to go on into spiritual
maturity, so they can understand the meat of the
Word of God. The great majority of Christians
never get beyond the milk of the Word, and
oftentimes in this age of Laodicea, it is
clabbered milk. In this verse,
the writer is saying that Christians need to
leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go
on into perfection (i.e., maturity). He then
describes the elementary teachings as repentance
from dead works and faithfulness toward God.
Dead works are unfruitful works not initiated in
our lives by the Holy Spirit. Dead works are the
works of the flesh. “Faith toward God” is simply
faithfulness or fidelity toward God. This is
basic in the Christian life, but the majority of
Christians today have not yet achieved this.
The failure of
Christians to understand the Judgment Seat of
Christ has resulted in a generation of faithless
Christians who do not measure up to even the
basic tenets of the faith. There are Christians
that do not fear God, revere God, tithe to God,
or study God’s Word. There are Christians that
routinely commit adultery, use vulgar language,
curse, take drugs, get drunk, and seek after
wealth and the pleasures of this world. (Heb 6:2 KJV) Of the doctrine of
baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment. The writer
continues to address the elementary teachings of
the faith as the doctrines of baptisms, the
laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead
and the Judgment Seat of Christ (i.e., eternal
judgment). Please note that these are the
elementary teachings. “The doctrine of baptisms”
pertains to the washings that the Christian must
undergo to remain clean. Jesus taught his
disciples the importance of these washings by
washing their feet at The Last Supper. The
doctrines of baptisms is summarized in detail in
1 John 1:9. This is elementary yet numerous
Christians do not practice it. The laying on
of hands was a symbolic practice of the Church
elders to emphasize the assistance of fellow
Christians who are more mature in the faith. It
is the receipt of spiritual power from fellow
believers to help one walk worthy. The laying on
of hands represents the intimacy that fellow
Christians should have with one another, and
especially the more mature believers with the
less mature believers. It is the sharing of
spiritual power by the mature believers with the
immature believers. When the elders in a church
perform the ritual of laying on of hands to a
newly ordained Christian for a special work, it
means that they are promising that they will
work to help this person grow in grace and
knowledge of the Lord into spiritual maturity.
The hands in Scripture represent the works that
a Christian performs in his Christian life. The
feet represent the walk that a Christian adheres
to in his Christian life. The eyes represent the
things that a Christian allows into his mind,
soul or life. The hands, eyes and feet are
figurative parallels in Scripture with the work,
the walk and the renewing of the mind that all
Christians should experience in their Christian
lives. The
resurrection of the dead and “eternal judgment”
are also elementary teachings. The resurrection
is of the Christian in the rapture, and “eternal
judgment” refers to the Judgment Seat of Christ.
The Greek words for “eternal judgment” are krima aionios
and refer to the judgment of Christians for the
millennial kingdom. This is significant since
the majority of Christians today have not the
slightest understanding of the Judgment Seat of
Christ after the resurrection takes place. Most
Christians today think the Judgment Seat of
Christ is simply Jesus asking us why He should
let us into heaven, and our response being
because He died for us. This is ludicrous as
Jesus is going to judge our lives (i.e., our
works) at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Christians would not even be at the Judgment
Seat of Christ if He had not died for us and
regenerated us spiritually. The Judgment Seat of
Christ is a judgment of our works, and not a
judgment of whether we are qualified to enter
heaven. Please note
that all of the above are the elementary
teachings of Christ, and all pertain to
Christians and not unsaved reprobates. The
Christian should have learned all of these
things and now gone past these things to the
deeper truths of Scripture, but this was not
true for Christians at the time that Hebrews was
written to Hebrew Christians. It is also not
true today for the great majority of Christians.
(Heb 6:3
KJV) And this will we do, if God
permit.The writer now
states that we Christians can go on into
spiritually maturity if God permits us to go on
to maturity. The writer, probably Paul, now
elucidates a situation when God will not allow a
believer to go on to spiritual maturity. The
warning is given to these Hebrew Christians,
since the writer knows that they are returning
to Jewish traditions from their Christian faith.
(Heb 6:4 KJV) For it is
impossible for those who were once
enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, Verses 4-6
identify believers who will not be allowed to go
on to spiritual maturity. Please note that the
criteria given are for a Christian that has
already attained to a significant level of
maturity in the faith, and then falls away from
the faith. These Christians have committed the
unpardonable sin (i.e., the sin unto death), and
are destined for the destruction of their souls
at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The destruction
of the Christian’s soul at the Judgment Seat of
Christ pertains to the loss of reward, and not
the loss of spirit salvation. The failure of
most exegetes to understand the difference
between spirit salvation and soul salvation is
the reason for the misinterpretation of this
verse and the following verses. The Christian
who was once enlightened is the one who has
understood spiritual truths. The Greek word for
“enlightened” is photizo and it refers to
spiritual enlightenment, or to be imbued with
saving knowledge. We are not talking about
unsaved reprobates, but spiritually enlightened
Christians. The unsaved reprobate has never been
quickened to spiritual life, so it is completely
untenable to say that a person has been
spiritually enlightened, but he is not saved.
Verse 4
confirms that these Christians have been
spiritually regenerated, believed in the atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ and baptized with the
Holy Spirit. Verse 5 below confirms that they
have also experienced the goodness of the Bible
and the miraculous gifts that were prevalent at
the time when the gospel of the kingdom was
still being preached to the Jews. (Heb 6:5 KJV) And have tasted the
good word of God, and the powers of the world
to come, This verse
further defines the Christians who can commit
the unpardonable sin or the sin unto death. They
are Christians that have “tasted of the good
word of God”. This means that these Christians
have experienced the good word of God. We could
argue over whether this is referring to the
“Written Word” or the “Living Word”, but it is
certain that both are intended. These Christians
have not only studied the Bible, but they have
allowed the Life of Christ to indwell him. These
Christians have also tasted of “the powers of
the world to come”. This means that these
Christians have experienced the miracles that
accompanied the preaching of the gospel of the
kingdom during the 40-year period up until the
heavenly aspect of the kingdom was finally taken
away from the Jews as a nation in 70AD. The above
verses clearly describe these Christians as ones
that have experienced the Christian life. The
following passage confirms that they have
suffered and endured persecution for their
faith: (Heb 10:32 NIV) Remember those
earlier days after you had received the light,
when you stood your ground in a great contest
in the face of suffering.(Heb 10:33 NIV) Sometimes you
were publicly exposed to insult and
persecution; at other times you stood side by
side with those who were so treated. also are
made manifest in your consciences. (Heb 6:6 KJV) If they shall
fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves
the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open
shame. This verse
states that the Christians described in verses 4
and 5 who decide to turn away from the faith are
in deep trouble spiritually, as it is impossible
for them to be renewed again unto repentance. We
must remember that repentance is the first step
in the Christian life after a person has been
born again. There are actually seven levels to
spiritual maturity represented in the seven
feasts of God, and the top level is the
Christian who has entered into the spirit-filled
life. A Christian who has reached this level,
and then turns away from God can never be
brought back to even the first step in the
Christian life, which is repentance from dead
works. The Christian who has committed this act
has committed the unpardonable sin. He has
committed the sin unto death, which is the death
of the soul, and not the death of the body or
the spirit. The Christian that has committed the
sin unto death is set aside in this life, and he
will be dealt with at the Judgment Seat of
Christ. There is no chance of repentance in this
life, but he will still be saved in accordance
with the following Scripture: (1 Cor 3:7 KJV) So then neither
is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase.(1 Cor 3:8 KJV) Now he that
planteth and he that watereth are one: and
every man shall receive his own reward
according to his own labour.(1 Cor 3:9 KJV) For we are
labourers together with God: ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building.(1 Cor 3:10 KJV) According to the
grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and
another buildeth thereon. But let every man
take heed how he buildeth thereupon.(1 Cor 3:11 KJV) For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.(1 Cor 3:12 KJV) Now if any man
build upon this foundation gold, silver,
precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;(1 Cor 3:13 KJV) Every man's work
shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it shall be revealed by
fire; and the fire shall try every man's work
of what sort it is.(1 Cor 3:14 KJV) If any man's
work abide which he hath built thereupon, he
shall receive a reward.(1 Cor 3:15 KJV) If any man's
work shall be burned, he shall suffer
loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so
as by fire. NOTE: These
Christians still go to heaven and they are still
conformed to the image of Christ. Unfortunately,
the old life, old man, or old soul must perish
at the Judgment Seat of Christ in order for them
to be conformed to the image of Christ. The loss
of the soul at the Judgment Seat of Christ is
the loss of reward only. They do not “enter into
the kingdom”, which is to enter into the reign
and rule of Jesus Christ. These Christians lose
their inheritance in the kingdom, but they are
still saved. Verse 6:6 also
states that these mature Christians that fall
away from the faith are figuratively causing
Christ to be crucified all over again, and they
are causing Christ to be publicly shamed. It is
ludicrous to think that unsaved reprobates could
figuratively cause Christ to be crucified all
over again, and to cause Christ public shame
simply because they are not saved. Only a child
can cause extreme shame to the father, and only
a Christian can put Christ to public shame by
gross and callous disobedience. The gross
disobedience of a neighbor’s child does not
cause me shame, but the gross disobedience of my
own son does cause me great shame. This is
especially true when he has walked in obedience
for a long time, and then turns against me when
he is a mature adult and should know better.
(Heb 6:7 KJV) For the earth which
drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it,
and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom
it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
This verse goes
back to distinguish the difference between a
faithful Christian and an unfaithful Christian
by using the analogy of plant growth from the
earth. This is simply a parable by the writer
comparing the faithful Christian to the earth,
which brings forth herbage or plants that are
appropriate for food. The Christian who feeds
the flock of God with solid food is greatly
blessed for it. (Heb 6:8 KJV) But that which
beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is
nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
In contrast to
the Christian who feeds the flock of God with
strong meat, the Christian who feeds the flock
with unnourishing food, represented by thorns
and briers, will be rejected at the Judgment
Seat of Christ and will suffer the loss of his
soul. His life will be wasted and burned up at
the Judgment Seat of Christ. It is important to
note that it is the works or fruit that will be
burned. The life or soul of the Christian who
bears thorns and briars will be burned at the
Judgment Seat of Christ. (Heb 6:9 KJV) But, beloved, we
are persuaded better things of you, and things
that accompany salvation, though we thus
speak. After stating
the dire consequences for Christians that bears
thorns and briars, the writer exhorts his fellow
Christians that he expects better things from
them, and he clarifies that these things that
are expected from them are “things that
accompany salvation”. In addition, the following
verse nails down that he has been speaking of
issues pertaining to their work and labor out of
love for the Lord, and not the issue of heaven
or hell. (Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have showed toward his name, in
that ye have ministered to the saints, and do
minister. This verse
clearly establishes that the issues addressed in
this passage pertain to the Christian’s work and
labor, and not to the spirit salvation that all
possess. The work is even identified as
ministering to the saints. (Heb 6:11 KJV) And we desire that
every one of you do show the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope unto the end:
This verse
continues to clarify the issue as works out of
diligence that continue until the end. The hope
is that of soul salvation and the inheritance
that will be accorded when the diligence
continues until the end. Soul salvation at the
Judgment Seat of Christ is a hope and not a
certainty. Note: Spirit
salvation is not a hope. It is a certainty for
believers. I do not hope that I will go to
heaven. I do not hope that I am spiritually
saved. I do hope that I will be found faithful
at the Judgment Seat of Christ and that I will
receive the inheritance of the kingdom of
heaven. (Heb 6:12
KJV) That ye be not slothful, but
followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises.The writer
summarizes the passage in this verse in
exhorting the believers not to be slothful or
lazy, and to continue in their works of faith to
the point where they will inherit the promises.
It is clear that laziness, infidelity, and
impatience work against the receipt of the
inheritance.